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Prayer
Last week we discussed Christ being the one who will usher in the new creation.
We saw how Christmas is actually a dawning of the new creation coming.
This week we are turning the page to see God’s agenda in blessing the nations.
[Christmas and Blessing]
It seems especially apparent around Christmas time that society at large like the nostalgia for Christmas.
As one psychologist said…
"In a world full of stress and anxiety people like to associate to things that make them happy, and Christmas decorations evoke those strong feelings of the childhood,"
At Christmas time, unlike any other time of the year, we hear people pronouncing blessings toward one another.
But I wonder, of all the pronounced blessings is there any substance behind these?
What do most people even mean when we say have a blessed Christmas?
What do people mean even when they describe a blessing?
I would argue that most people mean with blessing some sort of physical blessing.
Being with family,
material gifts given,
or even a special feeling be upon someone.
Even the idea of giving gifts to others is meant to represent “blessing” them.
Now there is nothing inherently wrong with blessing one another during this season.
Is that all the substance there is to this season’s “blessing”?
This week, I want us to turn our attention to the next hyperlink within Matthew’s thinking.
The next title I want to address is order of revelatory significance is Abraham.
His genealogy is seen in the first 6 verses of Matthew and it culminated in David.
The son of Abraham means that Jesus stands within the line of the Abrahamic promise.
Matthew is asserting it is through the Lord Jesus that all the nations will be blessed.
It is through the Lord Jesus that God’s covenant with Abraham will be fulfilled.
Since Jesus is God’s blessing to the nations, we must believe on Him and receive the blessing.
If a person was unclear on who Abraham is, it will be difficult to be amazed at a small phrase like, “son of Abraham”
But if you know the kind of promises that Matthew is referring to...
You will glory in Christ Jesus!
We need to go back to God’s initial promise to Abraham.
The Blessing through Promise
“Father Abraham”
In Genesis 12, we are introduced to a guy named Abram.
Abram was not a “good man”
He was a pagan who worshiped the stars.
He was 75 years old.
But God in a sheer act of unmerited favor comes to Abraham and calls him from his country.
God’s promise to Abram was that he would bless him and make his name increase on the earth.
It will be through this promise to Abram that all peoples of the earth will be blessed.
The question is…how is God going to bless the Nations?
What isn’t entirely clear is the issue of character blemishes in Abram....
Promises In Spite of Blemishes
“Unmerited Favor”
Abram was not a “good man” and we see examples of this all throughout his story.
Idolator
“Worship Disorder”
He came from a people who were known for worshipping the stars.
Character Flaws
“Sarai in Egypt”
When there was once a famine in the land, they had to go down to Egypt.
Before getting there, Abram told his wife...
Genesis 12:11–13 (ESV)
“I know that you are a woman beautiful in appearance,
and when the Egyptians see you, they will say, ‘This is his wife.’
Then they will kill me, but they will let you live.
Say you are my sister, that it may go well with me because of you, and that my life may be spared for your sake.”
Abram was a real lowlife.
Rather than protecting and defending his wife, he told her to give herself up so he would be safe.
In spite of Abram’s character flaws, God protected Sarai and afflicted Pharoah.
Application....
This promise of blessing that God was giving was NOT dependent upon Abram.
It was NOT a result of how well he obeyed.
This is extremely important to catch because it means that God is going to accomplish this apart from human help.
This is also important for us to understand.
God’s promises are NOT dependent on US.
Now God is going to prove this in spite of the character flaws…
But also in spite of his age…
Abram was 75 years old.
This was far outside of child rearing age.
Through this whole story there is ONE MAJOR drumbeat…
How will God give Abram a blessing to the nations at his age?
God’s Promise to Abram
“Blessing to the Nations”
God is still affirming His promise to Abram.
He is still affirming the fact that He is going to give him offspring that will bless the nations.
But Abram picks up on this tension when he asks…
How can I have children when I’m old?
What will happen to the promise?
Will God be faithful?
Will God still provide?
Impossibility
“Old Age”
Pay mind to the fact that God is going to accomplish this blessing in the face of impossibility.
If it was through a means that seemed natural, there would be a human tendency to take credit for it.
If it was NOT special then people would dismiss it.
If it was NOT a “miracle” people would pay no mind.
But here like we have seen many times before, God is going to accomplish blessing through essentially death.
Notice too what Abraham’s response to this is…
It was by faith in God’s promise that He was declared as righteous.
His right standing before God depended on his faith.
Not only is there an impossibility…
Abram in an act of unbelief tries to get a son by another means...
Another Means
“Through Ishmael?”
Genesis 16:2 (ESV)
And Sarai said to Abram, “Behold now, the Lord has prevented me from bearing children.
Go in to my servant; it may be that I shall obtain children by her.”
And Abram listened to the voice of Sarai.
Remember, we just saw an act of faith from Abram to believe God and be counted as righteous.
Rather than acting faith, he tries to accomplish this blessing through his own means.
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